Into Winter
by Daith
Summary: Aizen's new, or perhaps not so new interference with the the Wizarding World in the months before the Winter War has drawn the attention of the Gotei 13. Hitsugaya is sent to investigate. AU.
1. Introducing the Problem

**Chapter 1**

* * *

"As you may know," said the head captain, " Sosuke Aizen disappeared months ago, and since then we have launched an extensive investigation. We've had teams scour the Squad Five captain's room where Aizen lived, the underground assembly hall of Central 46, and the Seijuro Kurin where he hid himself after his faked death. Captains Ukitake and Kyoraku looked into Daireishio Archives, where after countless hours of sifting through all the data, Captain Ukitake discovered something."

Here, the old man drifted off into silence. The temperature of the room dipped with a flash of the younger captain's annoyance.

"The information that Captain Aizen had been looking at," prompted Toshiro. "What was it?"

"The Oken."

Hitsugaya's brilliant mind skidded to a stop, then tore into the implications of the word.

The Oken, otherwise known as the Royal Key, was the only supposed way to get to the Soul King. There was only one reason why a man such as Aizen would bother seeking out this information.

Deep within his inner world, a dragon stirred. **_To usurp the throne of God. Such audacity!_**

Toshiro only dimly registered the soutaicho confirming his own suspicions. Possibilities were already racing through his mind: Aizen could not have obtained access to the Oken before his betrayal, and he had not yet ascended to the throne. Therefore..

"What Aizen saw wasn't a book that told the whereabouts of the key."

"Exactly. The location of the royal key is a highly kept secret. There is no book detailing its location. What he saw was a reference detailing the method for creating the key."

Rangiku spoke. "So in other words.. The problem lies within the method?" Toshiro did not bother to correct his vice-captain's incorrect conclusion. The soutaicho's resounding "No," was more than enough.

"Not with the method. Aizen's understanding of the key is flawed; He intends to create it by sacrificing something of equal value. We believe that his plans are for Karakura Town." Rangiku gasped softly, and Toshiro's eyes narrowed. The loss of life would be staggering. All for the sake of one man's deranged ambitions to become a god.

"How much time do we have left?" he asked.

"It's not much," admitted the soutaicho, "But we do have some time. According to the report from Kurotsuchi, once the Hougyoku is released from its inner-soul imprisonment, it is in a dormant state. He has predicted that we have four months until the Hougyoku completely awakens; Aizen will make his movements then."

Toshiro nodded. It was a grim prognosis, and he could feel Hyorinmaru's implacable gaze weighing heavily on his shoulder. **_How will you respond? Aizen is no simple enemy, and you cannot afford to lose control of your emotions again._**

Toshiro looked up. Yamamoto had not dismissed them yet. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, Captain Hitsugaya. We have received reports from the Onmitsukido that Aizen and his arrancar have been sighted in an area known as Wizarding Britain. We will require you to investigate the situation."

Wizarding Britain? Toshiro's brow furrowed. "..and what of the Advance Guard?"

"Captain Kuchiki has requested to temporarily overtake your duties here at Karakura Town. I have seen fit to grant his request."

"I see." _He must have offered to look after his sister_. Unexpected, but from what Toshiro knew of man, the elder Kuchiki was proud and honorable. Matsumoto and the others would be safe enough when he left.

"Very well," said the soutaicho. "Captain Soi Fong has already sent details regarding your mission. You are dismissed." The screen fizzed into blackness.

Toshiro sighed into the silence that ensued. "We're going to have to tell Kurosaki, aren't we?"

 **.x.X.x.**

"That bastard plans to do _what_ to Karakura Town?" Toshiro suppressed a sigh. All of the shinigami were gathered at Urahara's, being served tea at the odd shopkeeper's request. Ichigo had not taken the news well, but that was to be expected. It was his home in danger, after all.

"He plans to destroy it," said Toshiro. "Wipe it off the map, along with a few layers of topsoil." Rangiku gave him a concerned look, but he brushed it aside with a small shake of his head. "I thought I made myself clear?"

"You did! But why would he do that?"

"The man wants to become a god!" yelled Renji.

Ayasegawa shook his head with a sigh. "Destroying so many souls to become god? No sense of style at all."

The three, with the addition of Madarame, soon fell to bickering, and Hitsugaya surveyed the others. The younger Kuchiki was strangely silent, perhaps still recovering from the trauma that Aizen had inflicted on her. Rangiku was looking at him again, making small gestures between himself and the others. _When are you going to tell them?_

Toshiro stood, only barely drawing in the attention of the arguing group. Sometimes he wished he had a more imposing stature, but at this point there was no use lamenting after things that could never be. "There's something else," he said. "I'm being sent on a reconnaissance mission in Wizarding Britain."

"What's that?" asked Renji.

"Wizarding Britain?" Kurosaki.

"Oi. Who's going to be in charge with you gone?"

"You are the only captain here," agreed Ayasegawa.

Histugaya drew in a deep breath, and the room temperature lowered a few degrees. "Captain Kuchiki," he said. "Has agreed to take over my duties here at Karakura Town. You are to obey his commands as you would mine. We can't afford to be taken unawares with Aizen now as our enemy." He looked across the table and saw Rukia setting down her cup. They were all listening now.

"I'm going to this 'Wizarding Britain' because the soutaicho has requested it, and because Aizen was spotted there. According to the Onmitsukidou's reports, it's a place where a number of spiritually gifted humans are gathered. It's never really mattered to the Gotei before now, but there were a few incidents a decade or so ago.."

He trailed off. Twenty years ago, Captain Shiba had gone on a mission to Wizarding Britain to investigate a few strange readings reported by the Twelfth. He hadn't come back, and afterwards it was Toshiro who was left to deal with the aftermath.

He'd never gotten past the idea that Captain Shiba wouldn't have been a better leader. His plans were insane, half the time, but there was always a sense of leadership and control that Toshiro had never been able to emulate, even after twenty years of captaincy.

Rangiku seemed to have noticed his discomfort and picked up where he'd left off. "..but nothing ever really came out of it," she said. "All you need to know is that taichou will be leaving in a few days and is being replaced by Captain Flower Boy." She raised a jug of sake produced from under the table and shoved it in front of Abarai's nose. "We should have a party! Besides," she said, as she leaned closer. "There's not going to be any more chances after Mr. Stick-in-the-Mud gets here."

Renji frowned, distracted by both the sake and the close proximity of her chest. "I guess it couldn't hurt.."

"Oi," shouted Madarame. "You'd better be sharing that! Yumichika and I call first!"

"Only if you can catch me~!" Rangiku disappeared out the door, leaving Renji and the other 11th division members in hot pursuit. Toshiro looked around and saw Kuchiki and Kurosaki. Had that really worked? Drinking alcohol on the job, was, of course, against the rules, but perhaps he could make an exception this time. His lieutenant probably deserved the break. Rangiku's thoughtfulness could be endearing, at times.

Kuchiki looked up from her cup of tea. "Nii-sama is coming back?"

Hitsugaya nodded. "Yes. I assume it's to look after you."

She looked down, taking a deep breath and then met Toshiro's eyes. "I'm going to leave now," she said. "Find somewhere to practice before he gets here."

"That's fine."

She left with a more determined step than she had coming in, and then there was only Kurosaki. He looked uncomfortable. "This Aizen guy," he said. "He's the real deal, isn't he?"

"He is." The place where the scar had been on Toshiro's collarbone itched. "Aizen.. is a dangerous opponent to go up against. He fooled everyone, and for so long.." He let out a breath. _I shouldn't have taken Hinamori's word before._

"So the guy's a manipulative lying bastard. But hey," said Ichigo. "I think we'll have a shot to make it through this. We just have to work together."

Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah, I do." Ichigo stood a little straighter, stance a little more confident. "Power of friendship and all that. Aizen—he's alone. Even his allies probably don't trust him. That's what makes us different." He paused and looked away, embarrassed. "At least, I hope we're not keeping secrets anymore. Are there any.. laws I should try to avoid breaking, this time?"

Toshiro laughed. It was a small laugh, but laughter all the same. "No, I don't think so. Just remember to call me Captain Histugaya and we'll get along fine."

"Alright then! I'm going after Rukia now. Bye Toshiro!"

"What did you call me?" Hitsugaya made a halfhearted move to follow but the boy was already gone. He sighed and walked out of the kitchen. "Urahara-san. I know you're here."

"How observant, Toshiro!" The man in question popped out of a corner in the hallway, still strange as ever. Rangiku had been horrified at the man's choice of fashion. The hat and clogs were as eccentric as the owner, though also less annoying.

Histugaya scowled. "Don't call me that."

"I'm afraid I didn't hear that. What was that Shiro-chan?" Toshiro stiffened. The temperature in the hallway plummeted, sending curls of frost creeping up along the walls.

"Touchy then," observed Urahara. "Away with the pleasantries it is." He gestured towards the end of the hallway. "If you could come with me, captain. We have a few things to discuss."

 **.x.X.x.**

"..and this here is the gigai that you'll be using for your mission." Toshiro looked upon his doppelgänger with a slight sense of unease. Gigai had always disturbed him for some reason. Part of him was convinced that it would only be a matter of time before they went rogue. Considering the dubious practices of the 12th, it wouldn't be all that unlikely that they would one day slowly infiltrate the Seireitei as a bid to replace their original selves.

Of course, that was only a possibility. For now, there were much more pressing urgencies to discuss. He studied the white hair and delicate features of his other self. "Is there anything special about this model that I should know?"

"Why, yes. There is." Urahara twirled his cane and pointed it toward Hyorinmaru. "You'll be able to use your Zanpakuto, should the need arise, and this series of gigai can be worn or discarded without the use of a mod soul. It's an empty shell, essentially, but better for missions where you don't want a different personality to give you away."

"..and the hair?"

Urahara shrugged. "You can dye it if you want, but I have it on a trusted word that you wouldn't want to do that. In the case that these wizards can see you without the help of a gigai, you won't even need it."

Histugaya nodded, a little distracted by the sense of reiatsu in the room. Someone had made a concerted effort to clear it away, but traces of a distinctly fiery presence still remained, intermingled with a few others. It shouldn't have bothered him that much, but it felt so familiar..

Hyorinmaru stirred, eyes once again burning a hole through the back of Toshiro's haori. **_Focus_**.

"Is there anything else that I'll be needing?"

Urahara's grin, if possible, grew even wider. It was disturbingly reminiscent of a scarecrow. Toshiro blinked, and suddenly there was a cat perched on his left shoulder. It was black and surprisingly heavy, but otherwise it seemed like just an ordinary cat.

Except the fact that no ordinary cat could hope to outmaneuver a captain. He made a move to brush the feline off, but a suspiciously masculine voice spoke out against his ear instead. "My, how rude. Don't they teach you manners in the Seireitei anymore?"

A talking cat, then. Definitely not normal. And why..? "I don't see how a talking cat is relevant to my mission."

"Why Hitsu-chan! How unobservant of you." Urahara leaned forwards to lift the creature off Toshiro's shoulder. "This is no ordinary talking cat, you see. Her name is Yoruichi."

Her? Well that was certainly strange. Urahara seemed to be expecting something though, so Toshiro made a respectful nod to the cat in question. "Yoruichi Shihoin? It's a.. pleasure to meet you."

"Aw, isn't this one cute, Kisuke?" The cat made a small batting motion in his direction. "He even remembered my name."

Hitsugaya leveled a flat look at Urahara. He still didn't see how a talking cat was relevant to his mission, even if it was a former stealth captain, but all the shopkeeper did was laugh. "Lighten up a little Toushou chan! Yoruichi is here is going to be your backup and guide. She knows a little more about the Wizarding Word than you might think."

"That's right, little captain. You're talking to the resident expert on all things magic." Yoruichi lifted a paw and leapt down onto the floor. "Now let's get started, shall we?"

 **.x.X.x.**

Yoruichi sighed. "Wizards are really just spiritually aware humans," she said. "They're not all that powerful, but what they lack in power they make up in precision. Their spells, for example, are a little like kido, but on a smaller scale."

"So I should be able to blend in?"

"Sure. You'll do fine." Yoruichi attempted to find a more comfortable position on Toshiro's lap and stretched. "Personally speaking, I've never been all that fond of spell work. So complicated. It's like playing around with threads when you could just be throwing around kido. The only upside is that they come up with lots of unconventional ways to to use what they do have."

Toshiro raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you're able to turn into a cat?"

"Mmhm. I see you have more questions, though."

"This.. Voldemort. You said that he might be a problem."

The cat nodded. "He was apparently a pretty big deal a few years ago, but the Onmitsukidou haven't been able to look into it too closely since all the strange activity recently."

"Do you think that Aizen would want to make allies with him? Maybe there's something that he wants in Britain."

"Not bad idea," said Yoruichi. "But that's why you and I are going there. To find out."

"Captain Soifon also mentioned a contact that I would be meeting: Dumbledore. Can you tell me anything about him?"

"Hm. A pretty powerful wizard, that one. He was just starting as headmaster at Hogwarts last I heard of him. The deal is that you can 'attend Hogwarts' to blend in, but he might have a few requests to make of you in return. He's pretty wily, so you might want to watch out."

Frost started to swirl out from where Hitsugaya was sitting, but Yoruichi seemed unperturbed by the cold. "The soutaicho agreed to send me on a reconnaissance mission at a school?"

"Apparently. I thought that this was in the report."

"He didn't say that I would have to go undercover as a student. In fact-"

A high pitched squealing interrupted Hitsugaya before he could continue. There was a distinct sound of a photo being taken before his Vice captain leapt in through the the window. "Oh my my goodness, taicho! Where did you get that cat? That's so adorable!"

"Matsumoto.."

"Hold on a second. I need to send this to the other girls at the Shinigami Women's Association. They're going to be so excited~!"

"Matsumoto!" At this point Hitsugaya was beginning to form a vivid picture of what would happened once that photo got out. If it was anything like the Komomura incident, he would be pestered for weeks, and the photos would soon be harder to confiscate than sake.

Matsumoto looked at him with faux confusion, but it looked like the damage was already done. Yoruichi started chuckling.

Toshiro slowly let out an exasperated sigh and briefly reconsidered his view on the soutaicho's assignment. Going to Britain meant that, at the very least, he wouldn't be around to witness the fallout. He might even learn something new while attending school.

Could going to 'Hogwarts' really be that bad?

Part of him was unconvinced, but either way, he was still going. He might as well go into it with some optimism.

Captain Shiba would have liked it that way, he thought.

* * *

 **Well, I am clearly insane.**

 **I started planning this piece almost.. two years ago. Recently, I stumbled across my original outline and decided that enough was enough. I might as well get started now.**

 **There are a lot of inspirations that led to the creation of this work, but I would like to give credit to CrazyTeddyBear's** ** _Order of the Shinigami_** **for the original spark, as well as honorable mentions to all of Silvermoon42's** ** _Years__** **series and her newest work** ** _To Survive the Gathering Storm_** **for keeping me invested in the concept.**

 **I still don't know exactly how this is going to end, but I have everything from the beginning to the Battle of the Ministry of Magic outlined, so we'll see whether or not I pick up any ideas on the way.**

 **I'll continue this either way, but reviews are definitely appreciated. Every writer worries over how their work is going to be perceived, and I'm no different in this respect.**

 **Trust me, your words mean more than you think they do.**


	2. Point A, Point B

**Chapter 2**

 **Hitsugaya makes preparations and is introduced to Dumbledore.**

* * *

It had been two days after the soutaicho had made his announcements, and things had so far been pretty quiet. Hollows continued to show up with regularity, but were were easily dealt with by the team of high ranking shinigami.

Rangiku went on an immediate shopping spree after realizing that her captain needed extra clothing for his mission, and had spent the better half of a day dragging around the others as glorified manservants. By the end of it, Hitsugaya had been thoroughly mortified after going into the children's sections, but at least he wouldn't have to do so anytime soon.

At least, that's what he hoped.

All that was left on the list of preparations was to wait for Captain Kuchiki to show up and relive him of his duties as the team leader. Then he would be off to Britain with Yoruichi to meet Dumbledore, the headmaster of a Wizarding school named Hogwarts.

Toshiro hoped that the man wouldn't be as strange as the name of his school seemed to imply. Among the spiritually gifted, though, it had become a well accepted fact that everyone was, to some degree, insane. Wizards probably wouldn't be any different, and really, what was he supposed to expect?

There was a slight rumbling in his inner world as Hyorinmaru shifted and blinked at him with a giant, blood red eye. It was always hard to tell what the dragon was thinking, though Toshiro thought he detected a small glimmer of amusement. _**Y** ** _o_ u should probably pay more attention to what you're doing.**_

Hitsugaya shrugged. _All I'm doing is looking though Yoruichi's old reports. Wizards are pretty strange, but their applications of reiatsu are interesting. Their wands even contain things like dragon heartstrings. It's nothing compared to you, of course, but I wouldn't have thought them capable of bringing down dragons._

Perhaps he was projecting, but Hitsugaya couldn't imagine any wizard, no matter how spiritually gifted, being able to subdue his Zanpakuto. Hyorinmaru was the most powerful among all ice types, aloof and untamable. Imagining him defeated was a hard image to grasp.

The dragon in question chuckled, sending a second temor through Toshiro's inner world. _**Captain Kuchiki is about to arrive**_ , he said. _**Save the reading for another time.**_

Hitsugaya looked up from his reports, wondering what had put his zanpakuto in such a good mood. Just as the dragon had said, however, Captain Kuchiki's presence soon sparked to life in Urahara's store. The time for reports was over. Histuagaya set aside the papers and headed down to meet his colleague.

.x.X.x.

"Captain Hitsugaya."

"Captain Kuchiki." Toshiro made a respectful nod to his fellow captain before gesturing towards the mostly empty room around them. "The others have yet to arrive, but I suggest we go to the living room while we wait."

With a nod of agreement from the nobleman, the two proceeded down the hallway. Hitsugaya took the opportunity to explain the situation as they went. "There have been no unusual Hollow activities, so far, and neither Aizen, nor his colleagues, have made any appearances. Your sister and Matsumoto are currently running patrol, though they should be here as soon as possible."

Hitsugaya turned the corner and walked into the living room, where Abarai and Madarame had started a shouting match about whose Zanpakuto was the best. Ayasegaewa was looking at his reflection in a handheld mirror and was goading them on. "Oh, I don't know. Renji's Shikai does look better.

"Oi! Are you saying that a spear isn't cooler? I've got more style than this punk's entire outfit combined!"

"Hey, don't bring my clothes into this! My zapakutou could beat yours any day!

"Oh, yeah? Wanna bet?"

"De-"

"What is the meaning of this?"

Renji, upon sensing his Captain's presence, quieted immediately. Ikkaku backed off muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "killjoy.

Byakuya's expression was cold enough to rival Hitsugaya's, and the arrival of both captains was enough to keep the other shinigami civil as they settled into their respective seats. A few seconds passed before Matsumoto and Rukia arrived, both coming in though the open window.

Rukia immediately bowed, with a quick "Nii-sama," before she sat down. Something in her brother's eyes seemed to soften, but the moment passed before anyone else could notice. "Kurosaki isn't here," he observed.

Hitsugaya nodded. "He isn't technically a part of the guard, and he's been busy training for the past few days. Contacting him shouldn't be an issue if you need him, but he isn't obligated to come."

"I see, then. We will have to inform him later." Byakuya's gaze swept the room's occupants with quiet purpose. "Captain Kurotsuchi, after reviewing data from several points around the Word of the Living has picked up a myriad of anomalous readings in the area surrounding Karakura town. After consulting the 12th's archives, he has concluded that the spiritual pressure is most similar to that of the exiled captains and lieutenants during the incident almost a century ago. Not Shinigami or Hollow, but a mixture of both."

"What incident?" asked Hitsugaya. "Why haven't I heard of this?"

"You were not a captain then, Hitsugaya taichou, and the information has been heavily classified ever since." Byakuya paused for a moment before explaining. "Over a hundred years ago there was a strange series of events that resulted in the 'hollowfication' of numerous captains and lieutenants. Then-captain Urahara Kisuke and Kido Corps Captain Tsukabishi were exiled as the culprits. Yoruichi Shihoin, then-captain of the 2nd, followed the two into exile shortly after. Considering recent revelations, their names have been cleared. Aizen seems to be the true perpetrator of those events."

 _How long has he been planning all this?_ Aizen's plan seemed to extend backwards for a couple centuries—at the very least, long before Hitsugaya had existed. That he had not heard of this incident earlier was worrying—what else was the soutaicho keeping under wraps?

Toshiro considered the information carefully. It seemed that Aizen had been able to make Shinigami more hollow-like in the past, but it was unlikely that the same people were causing Kurotsuchi's readings. Where those captains and lieutenants were hiding was another matter to consider, but that was an issue for another time.

"Kurotsuchi's readings. You said that they were similar, not a perfect match. Is it possible that Aizen could have created a reverse of this 'Hollowfication?" He has the full Hougyoku, now. Maybe that's what was causing the anomalies."

Byakuya nodded with something close to respect. "Indeed, that is what Kurotsuchi speculates. Considering the fact that the captains became far more powerful when hollowfied, we may soon be facing enemies of a similar caliber. All Shinigami should travel in pairs, from now on. Should you encounter trouble, permission has been granted to activate the Gentei Kaijo should the need arise. Captain Histuagaya, this applies to you as well."

Toshiro nodded. Judging by how the others were paying attention, Kuchiki's orders would be followed.

"As you all should already know, I am here to replace Captain Hitsugaya as the leader of the Advance Guard while he is investigating Aizen's appearance in Wizarding Britain. I expect you all you behave in a manner that is befitting of Shinigami of your positions."

Byakuya held the gaze of the others one last time before taking a step back. "Rukia, Renji. I will speak to you later. Madarame and Ayasegaewa—take the next patrol. As for the rest of you, that is all."

Madarame left grumbling under his breath on the way out, Ayasegaewa in tow. Hitsugaya caught his Lieutenant's attention and nodded towards the hallway. Byakuya was here. It was time for him to go.

Matsumoto caught up to him easily, falling into step behind him while chattering about what the new change in leadership would mean.

"I'm going to miss you so much, taicho! Captain Kuchiki is such a stick in the mud—I'm not going to be able to get away with anything while he's here."

"That's probably a good thing," noted Toshiro. "You slack off enough as is."

"Whaaat? Taicho, you wound me! I'd never slack off if you really needed me. Besides, I helped you pack up for your trip."

"Yes, Matsumoto. You did, and thank you for that. But you probably won't be able to get away with your usual antics around Kuchiki."

"I know, I know.." She made a face "'Don't slack off Matsumoto.' I'm still going to miss you though!"

A small smile crept up Toshiro's lips. "Take care of yourself, Matsumoto."

"Take care of myself? Taicho~! What are you going to do when your faithful vice captain can't take care of _you_?" Rangiku shook her head in exasperation."Don't forget to get enough sleep, and no overworking yourself while you're away. Think of it as a break from paperwork!"

"No guarantees," said Toshiro. "It's Aizen, after all, but.. I'll try."

He'd just stopped in front of the basement door when Rangiku caught him in a tight embrace. She didn't seem to mind the cold rolling off him, and thankfully he wasn't facing her chest. "..Matsumoto, what are you doing?"

"Nothing, nothing." Rangiku stepped away for a moment and returned with his suitcase. "Take care of yourself, Taicho! Bye~!"

Toshiro ended up standing in front of the basement for a few more seconds blinking before reaching for the handle. "Yes. Goodbye, Rangiku."

She grinned and wiped at her eyes. Tears? What did he say?

Toshiro left a little confused, but happier than he'd been in a long time. It felt like the first thing he'd managed to do right in a while.

.x.X.x.

Both Yoruichi and Urahara were waiting for him in the strange alternate dimension that was called the basement. Urahara was wearing his customary grin and waved Toshiro closer. "Have a fun meeting?"

"It was.. interesting," said Toshiro. "You didn't tell me why you two were exiled."

"Yare, yare.. it's all behind us now, Hitsu-chan! Besides, we've been pardoned. No use dwelling on the past."

Yoruichi circled the two with a small pouch in her mouth. She dropped it off next to Toshiro and waited for him to pick it up. "What is this?" he asked.

"Just a few extra things: currency, some memory dust, and an upgraded SoulPhone."

Toshiro tucked the pouch into a hidden pocket of his haori. "Thank you, Yoruichi."

Urahara nodded. "The SoulPhone has a few modifications on it. Mostly the soutaicho's request—you'll be able to make the video connection without all the hassle, next time. Now," he said. "If you excuse me, I need to make some arrangements for your transport."

Hitsugaya was left standing by Yoruichi, who at this point had decided that the top of the suitcase was a comfortable place to sprawl. He checked over Hyorinmaru once more, hidden from sight by Bakudo no. 26, Kyakko. Everything else seemed in order, with Urahara chanting a small distance away.

After a moment, a pair of shoji doors appeared. It looked like a normal Senkaimon, though the light beyond the doors was tinged with a strange shade of red. Yoruichi jumped off the suitcase and onto his shoulder, expertly ducking under the reflexive swat. "Looks like our ride is here," she said. "Bye, Kisuke!"

Urahara stood beside the portal and waved. "Good luck, you two!"

With his suitcase and a cat in tow, Hitsugaya stepped into the light.

A moment later, he stepped out, arriving in some sort of western styled meeting room. Before him was an old man dressed in a purple obscenity and wearing a pointed hat. He had a silvery grey beard that rivaled Yamamoto's in length, and wore a pair of half moon glasses over twinkling blue eyes. Had Rangiku seen him, she would have had a heart attack.

"Hello," said the wizard. "My name is Albus Dumbledore—you must be Hitsugaya."

Toshiro switched to English. "Yes, that is correct. I was told that I would be attending your school?"

* * *

 **I know, saying that I had the second chapter already finished and not putting it up was a bit of a tease. Have Chapter 3 as a part of my condolences.**

 **I hope that this is a believable transition from the Winter War arc to Harry Potter. Don't expect much after the Winter War Arc to be acknowledged, though. The Harry Potter books are currently set in The Order of the Phoenix.**


	3. Necessary Filler, Abridged

**Chapter 3**

 **Hitsugaya goes shopping, in detail.**

* * *

 _"Hello," said the wizard. "My name is Albus Dumbledore—you must be Hitsugaya."_

 _Toshiro switched to English. "Yes, that is correct. I was told that I would be attending your school?"_

Dumbledore looked surprised to addressed so directly. "Indeed," he said. "But we'll have to get you settled in, of course." He reached into the purple monstrosity and pulled out a thick green envelope of parchment before handing it to Hitsugaya. "Your enrollment letter. A list of your supplies is included."

After taking a moment to observe the letter itself, adorned with a seal of intertwined animals, Hitsugaya opened the letter and took out the list of supplies that Dumbledore had mentioned. He took a quick scan down the list, raising an eyebrow at some of the odder options. Why would he need a cauldron, and why were toads considered pets?

He supposed that Yoruichi would be pretending to be his pet for the next few months. It made sense, and having a second opinion would be useful. Not to mention the fact that she could slip away and check up on the others while he was busy.

Toshiro took a moment to look back up at the elderly wizard. "It says here that I need to get a wand."

Dumbledore grinned. "Then let's get at it, shall we?" He raised an arm and gestured at their surrounding room. "This is a side room of the Leaky Cauldron. If you'd leave your suitcase here, I can accompany you to get all the materials that you'll be needing."

"If you insist."

Hitsugaya turned and followed Dumbledore outside of the room and into what appeared to be a dingy bar. A few wizards sat around in scattered bar stools, and the overall air seemed uneasy. He suspected that this was a place that even Matsumoto would have thought twice about before going.

Yoruichi's tail flicked at his ear as they walked by the bartender, whom Dumbledore greeted with a smile and a short exchange of words.

Hitsugaya inspected the scene from a small distance away, convinced that something about the headmaster was off. He smiled too often, and there was absolutely no way that he could really be that friendly. After Aizen, Gin, and Urahara, he was starting to get a very good sense of when a smile like that was insincere, and Dumbledore's facade made him uneasy.

Either way, though, Hitsugaya would be stuck with the wizard for a while, so there was nothing to do but keep his guard high. He could do more research about the man at a later time, when he wouldn't have to avoid Dumbledore's attempts at gaining his trust.

Yoruichi's tail settled over Hitsugaya's other shoulder, bringing his attention back to the courtyard of uninspiring brick walls where Dumbledore had led them.

"Ah, if you'll excuse me for a moment.." The wizard took out a pale white wand and tapped one of the bricks. There was something that felt a little off about the reiatsu coming off the wand, but Hitsugaya was distracted by the subsequent splitting of the wall in front of them. The brick that Dumbledore had fiddled with shivered, then slid smoothly to the side in a way that should have been impossible. The adjacent bricks followed suit, until the two of them stood before a gateway into a busy road of oddly shaped buildings.

Dumbledore turned and gestured at the portal with a flourish. "Welcome to Diagon Alley!"

The clamor and liveliness of the wizards was a surprising contrast to the despondency of the bar. People dressed in colorful robes bustled around the streets, buying wares and ducking out of shops. Dumbledore's presence caused a bit of a stir; People either waved at him enthusiastically or shuffled away furtively.

A few of the wizards may have been intrigued by the presence of the white haired child trailing after Dumbledore, but were quickly deterred by the force of Hitsugaya's cold expression.

"Where are we going?"

"To purchase your school supplies, of course." Dumbledore continued walking, completely unworried by the polarizing reactions that he was causing among the crowd. "Your Soutaicho has assured me that you are capable of catching up to any school year's requirement of knowledge. Can you confirm this statement for me?"

Hitsugaya blinked. "Yes, theoretically so. In many ways, our brand of magic is very similar to yours. I shouldn't have a problem adapting."

"Ah. Well, it seems that you have chosen a pet already, so we can take that off the list of items to cover. Let's start with your textbooks first, then."

Dumbledore turned a corner and headed towards a building named Flourish and Blotts. The store's glass front was plastered with stationery and advertisements of writing supplies. Very few students seemed to be buying anything, but it was still well within the summer months. Dumbledore nodded at the small number of students that they did pass, drawing in a few enthusiastic greetings.

The interior of the store was furnished with a back wall of shelves, all displaying a number of interesting titles. While Dumbledore selected the required school texts, Hitsugaya chose a handful of the books that caught his attention: _Dragons of the Known World_ , _1000 and 1 Useful Curses_ , and _A Comprehensive History of the Wizarding World: From Grindewald to You-Know-Who_. After a small amount of deliberation, he also decided to go with _A Guide to Magical Theory, Volumes 1-6_. Yoruichi trailed him like a deliberate shadow throughout, prodding at books that she thought Hitsugaya should get.

Between the three of them, he ended up with a relatively large stack of books by the end of it; Both Dumbledore's required study material and his own outside interests contributed to an impressive result.

The clerk eyed the large stack with some trepidation. "That will be 10 Galleons and 5 sickles, sir."

Hitsugaya took out Yoruichi's pouch before Dumbledore could comment, removing a small handful of golden coins. Like many of Urahara's surprises, it was larger on the inside than it looked; There was a surprising cache of supplies within. He hadn't questioned where the money had come from before, but suspected that it was a leftover fund from Yoruichi's previous trips.

"Will that be enough?"

"Ah. Yes sir. Here is your 12 sickles in change. Will you be needing a bag to go with your purchase?"

"Yes, thank you."

The clerk produced a wand from under the counter and tapped at the stack of books. To Hitsugaya's surprise, they shrunk to the side of paperweights and were promptly placed within a small bag for him to carry.

Dumbledore thanked the clerk and left, heading to the next store on his list. "I didn't know that you were so well prepared," he said. "Where did you get the money from?"

Hitsugaya shrugged. "I was provided a fund before I left. How were you planning to cover my supplies before?"

"Ah, well there was a deposit for transferring students. I suppose that it won't come to that, now."

.x.X.x.

The next few stores that they went to passed by quickly. Many of the wizards that he encountered were surprised that he was going to be attending Hogwarts, and Hitsugaya had reason to curse his appearance again.

Embarrassingly enough, his robes had to be tailored smaller, and the potions supplier had taken the time to warm him about proper potions etiquette. The final stop of the shopping trip, though, was what Hitsugaya had been waiting to see. Ollivanders was relatively small compared to the other stores that they had visited, but looked well used. The peeling gold letters on the entrance declared that the store had been in business since 382 B.C., something that Hitsugaya doubted, but couldn't disprove at the moment.

A small bell rang as he entered the narrow store, Dumbledore and Yoruichi right behind him. Sunlight streamed in through the windows. The store looked mostly abandoned.

Dumbledore looked over the shelves, brushing off some of the dust that accumulated. A shuffling noise came out from the back room, and an old man wearing grey robes stepped out. His eyes were strangely colorless, glassy and luminous like the moon.

"Dumbledore?"

The wizard in question turned around and smiled. "Ah. How are you doing these days, Garrick?"

"Very well.. thank you." Ollivander brushed a few wood shavings off the front of his robes. "I see you have a student to introduce to me, though."

"Yes, this is Toshiro Hitsugaya. He's a transfer student from Japan, so I thought it was for the best that I show him around."

"How generous of you." Ollivander turned his attentions to Hitsugaya, who was looking around the store curiously. "Mr. Hitsugaya, I assume that you are here for a wand, then?"

"Yes, Ollivander-san."

"Very good. If you'll have a seat.." Ollivander gestured towards the a seat near the counter, where Hitsugaya subsequently headed towards and sat. Immediately after having settled, a pair of measuring tapes descended upon him, startling a disgruntled Yoruichi who had taken residence on his lap.

Ollivander returned by the time the measuring tapes started measuring the distance between Hitsugaya's furrowed eyebrows, setting down a armful of wand cases onto the counter. With a small gesture from the wandmaker, the devices returned to their original positions, lifeless once again.

"Now, Mr. Hitsugaya. Which is your wand arm?"

Wand arm? Perhaps he was referring to the hand that Hitsugaya used for Kido. He raised his right arm.

Ollivander nodded, opening one of the cases and taking out a dark colored wand. "Mahogany and phoenix tail feather, 11 inches, unyielding. Give it a bit of a swish."

Hitsugaya reached for the wand, but before he did so, Hyorinmaru made a discontented shift in his inner world. Hoping that it wouldn't interfere with the process, he continued, jerking back in surprise when the wand smoked with a cold fire and burst into splinters at his touch. _What was that?_

"I'm very sorry, Ollivander-san. I didn't mean to-"

The shopkeeper shook his head slowly, looking curious and mystified. "Never mind that,' he said. "You said that you were from Japan?"

"Yes, but I don't see how that.."

"Ash and dragon heartstring, 12 inches, swishy. Give it a try."

Hitsugaya took the wand, wincing as a package of boxes in the other corner fell over with a crash. The wand had started smoking again, and Ollivander took it away quickly before it could explode. _Hyorinmaru, what's going on?_

The dragon rumbled with dissatisfaction. **_If you're going to allow a foreign reiatsu to aid you in this, then I am going to be the decider. I didn't like that one._**

 _Really, you're being picky at a time like this._

Hyorinmaru responded testily. **_Would you wield any Zanpakutou but your own? Perhaps you're not worthy of me after all._**

Hitsugaya shook his head. _No, you're right. I don't like this, though. Can you at least stop destroying things?_

"I'm very sorry for all the damage-"

"Cherry wood and unicorn tail hair, 10 and a 1/2 inches."

Hitugaya tentatively reached forward again. This time it didn't explode, but the floor did begin to frost over. Dumbledore looked over curiously, but Yoruichi merely turned over in his lap. She didn't seem very surprised. Perhaps this was normal? Ollivander seemed to take the lack of a violent reaction as a positive, handing out variations of cherry and unicorn tail hair afterwards. After a few more wands, he narrowed it down to cherry and dragon heartstring, tweaking small details each time.

Finally, he presented to Hitsugaya a long, pale wand. "Cherry wood and dragon heartstring, 11 inches, flexible."

This time, a small shower of snowflakes came out from the tip, and a curious tingling sensation crept up Hitsugaya's arm. Hyorinmaru settled down with a small rumble, projecting an image of a long, icy claw. _**A satisfactory weapon**_ , he said.

Ollivander have him a unreadable look. "Congratulations, Mr. Hitsugaya. You have a wand that many of your peers would undoubtedly envy. Cherry wood and dragon heartstring is a particularly lethal combination, however. Do be careful."

Hitsugaya nodded, resolving to master the weapon thoroughly. Together, Ollivander and Dumbledore returned to the shop to its original state, wiping away frost and turning over fallen boxes. There was nothing that could be done about the wand that had exploded, however.

Ollivander looked a little uncomfortable. "I'm afraid that you're going to have to pay for the damages on this one. 15 galleons and 2 knuts."

"That's perfectly fine," said Hitsugaya, taking out the money. "Thank you for your time."

He'd come into the store expecting something different, but for all intents and purposes, the wand was inert in his hands. It didn't make him feel any different, and and there was no spirit within the wand like Hyorinmaru. It was only a vessel, something to channel his reiatsu with greater accuracy. The inner core simply guided the energy so that more complex processes could be done.

Yoruichi climbed back onto his shoulder as they left, Dumbledore guiding their way back to the Leaky Cauldron.

Compared to the colorful sights and sounds of Diagon Alley, the Leaky Cauldron was dull and lifeless. Hitsugaya retrieved his suitcase and put away all the items that they had bought.

"Where are we going now?" he asked.

"Oh," said Dumbledore. "I must have forgotten to remind you earlier. We're going to check in on Harry, next. Afterwards, we'll see about getting you settled in the Order." Dumbledore held out a hand. "What I'm about to do next is a form of Wizarding transportation known as Apparating. You'll need to be in contact with me in order for it to work."

Hitsugaya looked at Dumbledore's wrinkled hand with apprehension. After a moment, he took a hold of the wizard's sleeve, hoping that Dumbledore wouldn't notice the cold.

"I suppose that will work too," said Dumbledore. "Are you ready? Three, two, one!"

* * *

 **I noticed in the first chapter that I tend to neglect the setting in terms of description, so hopefully that's something that I make up for here.**

 **According to Pottermore, "cherry wood often makes a wand that possesses truly lethal power, whatever the core, but if teamed with dragon heartstring, the wand ought never to be teamed with a wizard without exceptional self-control and strength of mind." Also, whatever personality that the wand had before has probably been crushed by Hyorinmaru. He's a territorial dragon, that one.**

 **Next chapter will come out in roughly two days; That's how long it seems to take, anyways.**


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